Method and apparatus for producing and feeding furnace-electrodes.



E. R. TAYLOR. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUDING AND FEBDING FURNACDDLDGTRODES.

APPLIDATION FILED JAN. 7, 1911.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

VIM.,

f5. R, TAYLOR.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOB PRODUGING AND FEEDING FURNAOE ELECTRODBS.

APPLICATION FILED JMA-7,1911. 1,043,481 Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

SHEETS-SHEET 2 Willi/WMM *wwwa/awo 1mm/mbo@ fm@ f5 tionfand also forfeeding' the electrodes through said electrode collars a. Each 'of thesemolds,yb, includes a horizontal platform, 53, and relatively removableside and top members, 54 and 55, together with transverse clamps, 56,provided with jack screws, 58 and 59, which are perpendicular to saidsideand top members respectively when the' latter are in place as inFigs. l, 5 and 6. The mold Z/-is conveniently mounted on car wheels, 60,6l,` aving axles transverse to the mold and to the electrode, which runon rails, 62, beneath the electrode, leading to the adjacent side of thefurnace and supported by a suitably insulated Hoor. c. This floor alsosupports, in suitable bearings, 63, Fig. 6, a horizpntal shaft, 64,carrying a pinion, .65, between said rails, which is in mesh with arack, G6, on the bottom of the mold platform 53.` Suitable means forrotating such shaft may consist of worm gear'-,

ing, 67, Fig. 6, connecting it with the shaft 68 of a small electriclmotor, af, or its equivalent. 'lhe mold 7) movesj bodily forward withthe electrode in the lfeeding operation. It is shown in Fig. l as itappears immediately after having been closed and before moving it to anyappreciable extent. After the mold is moved in successive feedingoperaions until its vrear wheels 61 reach said fee shaft. 64, as in Fig.5, the mold is taken apart by removing said clamps 56 and removablemembers 54 and 55, as in Fig. 7, and the operation of building theelectrode is resumed.

The specific electrode represented as a whole at tas aforesaid iscomposed of a large number of relatively small units', 69, 70, Figs. 2and 3, rectangular in cross scction, including a central tubular unit,70, to

form a passage 52 'for the introduction of oxidizing material. Thistubular unit ZO is *preferably and convenientlyvcomposed of clay or thelike, so as to be noncombustible relatively short sections, Fig. 4, offire and at the same time adapted to be kept open by the sloughing oli"which occurs at the innerend of the electrode. The other units, 69, areof suitable elect-rode carbon.

In building up the electrode, the plat-form 53 of the mold b having beenexposed and properly located for this operation, the units are built upthereon layer by layer; care being taken to have the sections or lengthsof the carbon units 69 break joint longitudinally as at the right inFigs. l, 5. and 7; and a suitable carbon cement, which may be composedof ground carbon and molasses, is spread between the layers as the workprogresses. The operation proceeds in this manner until a sutticientlength has been built'up to till or rell the mold b. The side and toppieces 54 and 55 of the mold b are then applied, being first looselyheld in place bythe retracted jack screws of the clamps 56, andultimately brought together and to gage, as in Fig. 6, by tightening thejack screws 58 and 59 in pro er order so as to render the electroderectangular' and of the required dimensions. The mold b is now ready tobe used in the feeding operation, as above described, and when it hasagain reached the position represented in Fig. 5 it again retracted andthe building operat1on resumed,

invention into effect., the electrode may be Vbuilt up with or without atubular unit, and

with more or less numerous carbon units; and other like modificationswill suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The ,combination and arrangement 'rt' parts, including the electrodecollar (L, ,represented by Fig. l, and the provision ot the electrode twith a tubular unit, as represented by F 2, 3 and 4, are claimed in saidcompanion specification forming partJ of said allowed application forpatent, (Serial No. 570,836) and are hereby disclaimed i as forming nopart of the present invention. Having thus described said improvement, Iclaim as my invention, and desire to patent. under this specification:l. The within described method of building up a stemless electrode,rectangular in cross section, composed of relatively small rectangularunits breaking joint longitudinally, which method consists in building agiven length upon an endwise movable support layer upon layer,interposing a` suitable cement between the units, compressing theelectrode. to gage by lateral and vcrtical'pressure, freeing andretracting the support. repeating the building up and compressingoperation, and so on. The within described method of buildmg up andfeeding in a stemless electrode, rectangular in cross section, composedof relatively small rectangular units breaking jointlongitudinally,which method consists of building a' given length 'in site upon anendwise movable support layer 'upon layer, mterposing a suitable cementbetween the units, compressing the electrode to gage bv lateral and'vertical pressure,` feeding rthe same in end'wise, freeing andreti-acting the 1,043,455; i p a support, repeating the building up andcompressing operation, again feeding in; and so on, alternately.

3. The Within described method of building up and feeding in a stemlesselect-rode7 rectangular in cross section, composed of relatively smallrectangular units breaking joint longitudinally, Which method consistsof building a given length in aim upon an endwise movablesupport layerupon layer, interpo-sing a suitable cement between the units,compressing the electrode to gage by lateral and vertical pressure,feeding .the same in en'divise under such pressure, free-- ingandretracting the support, repeating the building up and compressingoperation, again feeding in; and so on, alternately.

Apparatus for use in building up an electrode composed of relativelysmall units breakingwjoint longitudinally and cemented and compressedinto a practically liomogeneous mass; Asuch apparatus comprising anendWi-se' movable mold having an electrode support, relatively removableside and f 'top membrs, and transverse clamps provided with compressingmeans Wliicli interact` with said side and top members.

5. 'pparatus .for ulse in building up an Y electrode composed ofrelatively small units breaking `joint longitudinally aiildfcenientedand compressed into a practically lioinogcneous mass; such apparatuscomprising an endwise movable mold having an electrode support,relatively removable side and top members, and `transverse clampsprovided with jack screws perpendicular to said side and top memberrespectively.

6. Apparatus for use in alternately building up in .situ and feeding inunder pressure an electrode composed 'il' relatively small unitsbreaking joint longitudinally and cemented and compressed into apractically homogeneous mass; sucli apparatus comprising an endwisemovable mold having an electrode support provided on its bottom ivitlicar Wheels, asubjacent track fitted to said Wheels and mechanism forpropelling the mold back and fortli on said track.

7. Apparatus for use in alternately build- .ing up in situ and feedingin uiider'pi'essure an electrode composed of relatively small unitsbreaking` joint longitudinally and `eemented and Acompressed into apractically homogeneous mass; such apparatus comprising an endwisemovable 'mold having` an electrode support provided on its bottom withcar Wheels and a ixedly attached longitudinal rack, a subjacent trackfitted to said Wheels, and propelling` mechanism in-. cluding a pinioniii n'iesli ivitli said rack,a motor. and Worm gearing transmitting,`inotioii from saidniotor to said pinion; sub-v stantially asliereinbefore specified.

EDVRD R. TAYLOR. Vlitnesses LEWIS J. BoUoii'roN, F. B. MoDnaMo'rr.

